Bug type

Regression (worked before, now fails)

Beta release blocker

No

Summary

Plugins that declare openclaw as a peerDependency fail to start after installation via openclaw plugins install. The openclaw package is not symlinked or otherwise made available in the plugin's node_modules/, causing module resolution failure at runtime.

Steps to reproduce

Error: Cannot find package 'openclaw' imported from /Users/zhouxia/.openclaw/extensions/dingtalk-connector/dist/runtime-CAQ2GHj-.mjs

2026-04-23T09:26:46.162+08:00 [dingtalk-connector] [default] startAccount error: Cannot find package 'openclaw' imported from .../runtime-CAQ2GHj-.mjs
2026-04-23T09:26:46.163+08:00 [dingtalk-connector] [default] channel exited: Cannot find package 'openclaw' imported from .../runtime-CAQ2GHj-.mjs

Expected behavior

After repeated crashes, the channel is in failed (unknown) state, resulting in 404 errors when the bot attempts to send replies.
Root Cause Analysis
Problematic dependency structure (@dingtalk-real-ai/dingtalk-connector 0.8.18):

{
"dependencies": {
"axios": "1.14.0",
"dingtalk-stream": "2.1.4",
"form-data": "4.0.0",
"qrcode-terminal": "0.12.0",
"zod": "4.3.6"
},
"peerDependencies": {
"openclaw": ">=2026.4.9"
}
}

Actual behavior

The openclaw package was moved from dependencies to peerDependencies between v0.8.16 and v0.8.18. When the plugin is installed via openclaw plugins install:
peerDependencies are not automatically installed (by npm design)
devDependencies are not installed in production/linked scenarios
The globally installed openclaw (at /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw/) is not on Node.js's module resolution path for the plugin directory
The plugin's node_modules/ lacks the openclaw package at runtime
This is the same root cause as #54428 (weixin plugin), but affects the DingTalk connector in a different way — openclaw was previously in dependencies and worked, then moved to peerDependencies in a minor version bump, breaking existing installations.

OpenClaw version

2026.4.21

Operating system

macOS 25.3.0 (arm64)

Install method

npm global

Model

bailian/kimi-2.6

Provider / routing chain

openclaw -> bailian/kimi-2.6

Additional provider/model setup details

No response

Logs, screenshots, and evidence

Solution 1: plugins install should auto-link peerDependencies (Recommended)
After installing a plugin, openclaw plugins install should:
Read the plugin's peerDependencies
For each peerDependency, check if a compatible global version is installed
Create a symlink in the plugin's node_modules/ pointing to the global package
This ensures all plugins benefit automatically, without requiring individual plugin maintainers to change their dependency strategy.
Solution 2: Move openclaw back to dependencies
Revert openclaw from peerDependencies back to dependencies in affected plugins (DingTalk connector, weixin, etc.).
回复 曾迪: 
请你参考一下这个Weixin Plugin Load Failure: Missing openclaw Package in Dependencies · Issue #54428 · openclaw/openc

按照标准的提法，且用英文
Pros: Works immediately with current install flow
Cons: Duplicates openclaw in each plugin's node_modules/, increasing disk usage
Solution 3: Document the manual symlink workaround
Add to plugin README / install docs:

ln -s /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw \
  ~/.openclaw/extensions/dingtalk-connector/node_modules/openclaw



Pros: No code changes
Cons: Poor UX, easy to miss, breaks on every plugin update
Temporary Workaround
ln -s /opt/homebrew/lib/node_modules/openclaw \
  ~/.openclaw/extensions/dingtalk-connector/node_modules/openclaw
openclaw gateway restart

Additional Context
This issue affects any plugin that:
Imports from the openclaw package at runtime
Lists openclaw only in peerDependencies (not in dependencies)
Is installed via openclaw plugins install
The same fix applied here would also resolve #54428 and prevent similar issues for future plugins.

Impact and severity

No response

Additional information

No response